Croatia celebrates 36th Statehood Day, honouring its independence journey

Croatia celebrates Statehood Day

ZAGREB, 30 May 2026 – Croatia is today commemorating its 36th Statehood Day (Dan državnosti), marking a pivotal moment in the country’s modern history and its path towards independence.

Statehood Day is celebrated on 30 May in remembrance of the inaugural session of Croatia’s first democratically elected multi-party Parliament, which took place on this date in 1990.

The event marked the beginning of a new political era after decades of communist rule and a one-party system within the former Yugoslavia.

Following Croatia’s first multi-party elections, which were conducted in two rounds during April and May 1990, the newly elected members of Parliament convened for their inaugural session on 30 May in Zagreb’s St Mark’s Square.

The elections were won by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and the formation of the Sabor marked the beginning of a significant new period in Croatia’s political development.

The convening of the first democratically elected multi-party Parliament in modern Croatia is considered a landmark event, laying the foundations for the country’s democratic transformation and eventual independence.

Just over a year later, on 25 June 1991, Croatia formally declared independence following a referendum held on 19 May 1991. In the referendum, around 94 per cent of voters supported independence, reflecting strong public backing for the move towards sovereignty.

Statehood Day itself has undergone several changes since Croatia gained independence.

Originally observed on 30 May, the holiday was moved to 25 June in 2002 by the Croatian government, while 30 May continued to be marked in a different capacity. However, the date was restored as the country’s official Statehood Day after the Croatian Parliament adopted a new law on public holidays on 14 November 2019.

Across the country, commemorative events are being held to mark the occasion and reflect on Croatia’s democratic development and independence.

In Zagreb, state leaders are honouring the day by laying wreaths and paying tribute at several memorial sites, including the common grave of unidentified victims of the 1991–95 Homeland War, the Wall of Pain monument, and the monument dedicated to fallen Croatian defenders.

The commemorations serve both as a remembrance of those who lost their lives during Croatia’s struggle for independence and as a reflection on the country’s journey from the first democratic elections to becoming an independent European nation.